Civics scoop Namibian awards

Namibia Premier League side Civics’ striker Heini Isaacs was crowned the MTC Player of the Season, and he also the scooped the MTC Top Goalscorer award for his 20 goals during the league campaign.

Isaacs pocketed R25 000 and two trophies for his accomplishments.

The 2005 season’s young player of the season, Isaacs says this year’s awards have not been a surprise as he worked hard all season together with his teammates. The 21-year-old edged fellow Civics player Jamunovandu Ngatjizeko, a defender, who was also short-listed for the award.

Isaacs is one of the few very young players to find a place in the national team of Ben Bamfuchile, where he scored his first goal against Malawi in the Cosafa games. He already has Champions League experience, having played for Civics in 2003 against SuperSport where he was stretchered off five minutes into the 5-1 defeat. He is also the only Namibian to score an away goal in the Champions League this year, when he converted one against Angolan side Esperanca Sagrada.

Civics manager Paul Stramis was recognised as the MTC Team Manager of the Season. He was awarded R10 000.

Civics successfully defended their title, having first won it in the 2004/2005 season. The team won a trophy plus R500 000.

Windhoek Optics Ramblers, who finished second in the league, got R225 000 while Blue Waters received R130 000 for third place.

Ramblers’ Lazarus Kaimbi won the First National Bank Young Player of the Season Award, carrying a monetary prize of R10 000. Kaimbi turns out for the under-20 national team and made an impact during the Zone Six Games that were held in Namibia over a month ago, while he has scored eight goals in the league last season. Kaimbi’s season was plagued by injuries and at one time, he was fours goals behind Isaacs when the league started. The player is eyeing a possible move to Germany next season after his club management held talks with various top clubs in that country.

Cymot Windhoek Sports Club (SKW) coach Richard Starke won the Hansa Pilsener Coach of the Season award that comes with R10 000.

SKW made their debut in the NPL this year and ended 10th on the log, just escaping relegation. They were also recognised as the Team of the Series in the MTC NFA Cup, although they lost to Orlando Pirates in the final.

African Stars were awarded the FNB Team of the Season honour, while Derrick Haufiku was crowned the Hansa Pilsener Referee of the Season.

In other awards, the First and Second divisional winners and top players were also presented with trophies and cash prizes.

Rudolf Shaya Mupiri from the Kavango region was crowned the NFA Administrator of the Season, while the NFA Special Contribution award went to Willem Hans.

Brave Warriors’ skipper Henrico Botes, who is at South African side Moroka Swallows, also got the NFA International Award of the Season, while the Ohangwena region was honoured as the MTC League of the Season.

Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW) coach Richard Starke was named the Coach of the Season after his side successfully survived relegation, while he also led them to their first-ever NFA Cup final against Orlando Pirates this year. Despite losing in that final, Starke’s men were awarded for their resilience as underdogs in major tournaments, where they would either end up in the quarter-finals and semi-finals although failing to maintain a steady run in the league.

The NFA Administrator of the Season Award was given to Rudolf Shaya Mupiri who runs the northern-based Caprivi League, while the NFA-FIFA award was given to Willem Hans by NFA acting president John Muinjo, or “facilitating the development the of sport in the country”.

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation scooped the Media Institution of the Season awards for radio and television, while Boet Matthews of Republikein was named the Print Media Practitioner of the Season.

For the second year running, long-serving Brave Warriors supporter Robbie Savage was also rewarded for his unwavering backing for football and especially the national team, as he was named the Supporter of the Season. Savage pocketed R2 000.